


Home Alone: Kid Spirk Edition

by yaoichan12



Series: Holiday Stories [9]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Home Alone Inspired Shenanigans, Humor, Kid Fic, M/M, holiday fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28116138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yaoichan12/pseuds/yaoichan12
Summary: Home Alone 3 AUJim and Spock come down with the chicken pox. While home alone, Jim sees burglars in the neighborhood. No one believes him but Spock so they decide to take matters into their own hands.
Relationships: Amanda Grayson/Sarek, James T. Kirk/Spock
Series: Holiday Stories [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/889977
Comments: 46
Kudos: 97





	1. The Pox

**Author's Note:**

> I could not think of a better title LOL

Jim jumped into the pile of snow he and Spock just shoveled from Ms. Gundersen’s driveway. It was soft and fluffy, and Jim just couldn’t resist. He kicked some of the snow up and giggled as it came down on it. The mound was too big for a snow angel, so Jim stood up and shook himself off. Doing that caused Jim to sway and touch a hand to his head.

“Dizzy,” Jim spoke. The feeling quickly dissipated but left his body feeling a tad achy. He ignored it and walked over to where Spock was leaning against Ms. Gundersen’s front step railings.

“Spock, you should totally jump into the snow,” Jim said to his best friend. The older Vulcan boy had his eyes closed. Spock slowly shook his head. Jim touched Spock’s arm. “Hey, you okay?”

Spock opened his eyes. His pale skin in the cold afternoon air had a tint of green to it. On the tip of his nose and his cheeks. Jim figured if his ears weren’t covered by his knit cap, they’d be the same. “I am merely waiting for you to inform Ms. Gundersen that we have completed shoveling her drive and walkway.”

“Oh okay.” Jim bounced up the clean steps and over to the doorbell which he pressed. He waved through the clear storm door as he saw Ms. Gundersen slowly walking towards him. “All done, Ms. Gundersen.”

She opened the door and poked her head out. “You boys did a wonderful job.”

Jim puffed out his chest proudly. “Thank you.”

“How much do I owe you boys.”

“Twenty…”

“Our parents informed us to not take money for doing a good deed,” Spock spoke, interrupting Jim. “Also, shoveling snow is our punishment for yesterday’s incident.”

Jim turned his head a crinkled his noise at Spock. Spock merely arched a brow back at him.

_Not my fault mom hid last year’s fireworks under her bed in a shoe box or that a tree almost caught fire after I found them._

“Oh, then how about some Christmas cookies? I made some Berlinerkranser.”

“Are they chocolate?” Jim asked. “Cuz Spock can’t have chocolate. He had some of my Halloween candy a few months ago and acted weird. Called me a shy yam and I ain’t shy or a yam, Ms. Gundersen.”

Ms. Gundersen merely nodded. “Luckily Berlinerkranser are just butter cookies.”

“Then we would gladly like some, Ms. Gundersen.”

* * *

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jim asked as he and Spock finished the baggie of cookies.

They were sitting in the warm garage at Jim’s house, still in their snow gear. Spock was sitting on a stool at the workbench they were using as a table next to Jim. He was leaned over, elbows on the bench with his head in his hands. The knit cap he had been wearing lay on the bench beside him. His hair stuck up all over the place.

“I am well,” Spock said softly.

Jim scratched his leg through the thick snow pants he wore and then scratched under his snow top at his lower back. “You sure?”

“You have asked me that question three times already. Yes, I am well.” Spock hung his head and scratched the back of his neck. Jim saw a few green dots but shrugged it off. Vulcans didn’t lie. He hopped off his bench and pulled on his cap.

“C’mon. We just gotta shovel the Wilson house and then we’re done.”

Spock slowly nodded and slid off the stool. Jim reached out and steadied him with Spock wobbled.

“I am well,” Spock said again.

“I didn’t say anything this time.”

“You thought it, though.”

“Oh, shut up and get your shovel.”

* * *

After shoveling, they parted ways and went back to their respective homes. Jim showered and then became dizzy again. He laid on his bed until the feel went away. He scratched his legs some more then changed into nice clothes his mother had set out for him.

When he was ready, Jim sat on his windowsill and stared across the street at Spock’s house. At first Jim didn’t care to live in the cookie cutter neighborhood in Riverside. He liked the farmhouse and the many acres of farmland to explore. But this was nice enough. Older houses, lots of trees. Quaint, his mother had said. It was only temporary, though, while the farmhouse was being renovated. Four months down and four more to go.

At least he had Spock now. Spock and his parents had moved in a month after the Kirks. Sarek was some type of ambassador. Jim tried to pay attention when Sarek had explained himself, but it was boring, so Jim zoned out. All he knew, was that they were there for a year and Spock was now his bestest friend ever. Spock had made it clear he was Vulcan and did not need a friend, but Jim wore him down after a week of bugging him to come out and play. Jim had to grab his hand and literally pull him out of his house the last time.

There had been some weird static electricity thing when they had touched but after that, Spock gladly—well, as glad as a Vulcan could be—went with Jim anywhere Jim wanted to go.

“Hey, fart face, time to go.”

Jim turned and glared at his older brother. “I’m not a fart face. You’re the fart face.”

“Fart face. Jim’s a fart face,” the bird on Sam’s shoulder repeated. Sam laughed and Jim grabbed a book from his nearby desk and threw it at the boy. Sam dodged and walked away.

“Mom! Jim threw something at me!”

“I didn’t!” Jim ran into the hallway and yelled back.

“Boys! Just come on! We live right across the street yet we’re going to be late!”

Jim grumpily picked up his book and chucked it back into his room. He grabbed the little gift bag by the door and turned off his lights. He scratched his back as he made his way downstairs and joined his mom and brother.

“Fart face.”

Jim glared at the bird.

“Sam, stop teaching her that stuff and go put her back in your room.” Winona shooed Sam back upstairs then helped Jim into his coat.

“We’re just going across the street. I don’t need my coat.”

“It’s twenty degrees outside. Do you want to catch pneumonia? Again?”

Jim looked up at her and shook his head. He’d been in the hospital for a week the last time he got really sick. “No, ma’am.”

She smiled down at him and touched his cheek. Her brows furrowed together. “You feel a little warm. Are you…”?

“I’m okay,” Jim waved her hand away. “I was out all afternoon shoveling snow and I just took a shower.”

“True.” She patted his shoulder then yelled up the stairs for his brother to hurry his butt on.

* * *

“Happy Hanukkah,” Winona said when Amanda opened the door to them.

Amanda smiled brightly at them and welcomed them in. “Happy Hanukkah. Thank you for joining us for the first night.”

“Thank you for having us.” Winona held out the casserole dish she had ‘made’. Jim knew she bought it at the store and just put it in one of their dishes. “I said I’d bring a kugel.”

“Thank you.” Amanda took the dish and motioned for them to put their coats on the racks in the foyer. “Dinner is almost ready. Winona, care to help me finish up in the kitchen?”

“Certainly.”

“And Jim, would you mind checking on Spock?” Amanda asked him. “He’s up in his room.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Jim took off up the stairs and down the hall to Spock’s room. He didn’t knock, instead, he barged in and found the twelve-year-old laying on his bed. Jim ran over and jumped, landing next to him.

Spock’s eyes jolted open and he stared up at Jim looming over him.

“Hey you.”

“Greetings.” Spock closed his eyes again.

Jim sat back on his haunches and looked his friend over. Spock was dressed in black slacks and wore a dark purple sweater. His skin was still pale, and his cheeks were a tad little green as were the tips of his ears.

“I know I’ve already asked this, but are you sure you’re okay?” Jim scratched his belly under his own sweater.

“Yes, I just require some rest and meditation.” Spock slowly sat up; eyes still closed. He scooted back and leaned against the headboard of his bed. His hands came up and rubbed his temples. Jim saw another green dot on the back of Spock’s hand.

Jim gently took the hand in his and held it. Spock’s eyes finally opened and met his. Jim smiled. “Thanks for helping me shovel snow today.”

“I had to.”

“Because you got us in trouble.”

Spock snorted. “I certainly did not. The fireworks were entirely your idea.”

“I didn’t hear you complaining.”

Spock shook his head.

Jim chuckled. “I still think we should’ve charged people.”

“We were told not to. We were in trouble and also tis the season to…”

“Yeah, yeah, be kind and charitable. If it snows after new year’s, I’m charging.”

“Very well.”

“Here’s your Hannukah present.” Jim presented the small gift bag with his other hand. Spock took it and pulled the green tissue from the top. He reached and pulled out a rock.

Spock looked it over then cocked a brow at Jim.

“It’s a geode. You can smash is open and see what cool crystals are inside. I bought it at the science museum when my class went on a field trip last week.”

“Ah, I see. Thank you. I will smash it later.”

Jim beaned. “You’re welcome.”

Spock put the rock back in the bag. Still holding Jim’s other hand, he leaned over to his bedside table and collected a small gift box. “For you.”

Releasing Spock’s hand, Jim took the box and lifted the top. “Oh, pretty!” Jim took out a necklace with a gem in the shape of a small crescent moon in a metal triangle.

“It is a vokaya gem, native to Vulcan.”

“Thanks. I like it.” Jim tried to put it on but after some trouble, Spock helped him. “I really like it even though I don’t really like jewelry. This is nice.” Jim took Spock’s hand in his again. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome.”

“It’s time to eat.”

Jim and Spock turned their heads and found Sam standing in the doorway to Spock’s room. Sam zeroed in on their hands tougher.

“Aw, look at that. Jim and Spock sitting in a tree.”

“Sam!”

“K-I-S-S-I…”

“Shut up, Sam!”

Sam laughed and walked away. Jim took his hand from Spock’s and let out an exasperated groan. “Big brothers suck.”

“Mine is not around enough for me to have an opinion on the matter.”

“Lucky.” Jim slid off the bed and waved his hand at Spock. “C’mon, time for food.”

Spock nodded and stood up. Jim watched him sway a bit but steadied himself. He wanted to ask him yet again if he was alright but let it go.

* * *

Spock sat beside Jim at dinner. The adults mostly talked about Federation matters while Jim went on and on to Spock about what he asked for, for Christmas. Spock pushed his food around his plate and nodded along.

“Spock, sweetie,” Amanda, sitting on the other side of Spock, touched his hand. “Aren’t you hungry?”

“Not at the moment, mother,” Spock replied.

“I don’t think he feels well,” Jim blurted out.

Spock side eyed him while Amanda removed her hand from his and touched his forehead.

“I am well…” Spock tried but his mother tsked.

“You do feel warm.”

Spock moved his head away from his mother’s touch. “Vulcan body temperature is higher than that of a human. Of course I would feel warm to you. I am well.”

“Snippy,” his mother sighed. She looked at Sarek. “He gets snippy when he’s sick.”

“I am not sick.” Spock shoved a big helping of kugel into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. “See, I am well.”

Amanda patted his head gently. “Alright.” He looked back to Winona. “You said you were working on a new…”

Jim’s eyes widened as Spock’s face went really green. He opened his mouth to stay something, but Spock beat him to it. Instead of saying something, the Vulcan instead threw up onto the table.

“Ew,” Jim made a face at the mess.

“Awesome!” Sam laughed as the adults stood up to attend to Spock.

* * *

“I do hope Spock feels better,” Jim’s mother said as Sarek followed them to the front door to see them out. “It was a lovely dinner. Thank you for having us.”

“Thank you for attending. Spock is unused to prolonged exposure to below freezing temperatures. He should be well soon.”

“Do we get anything?” Sam asked.

His mother hissed at him.

“What? Its eight nights of gifts.”

“You don’t ask for gifts,” she hissed at him before smiling apologetically at Sarek.

“He is correct,” Sarek said. “But, we only have gifts for the two of them for tonight.” Sarek opened the closet in the foyer and took out two gift bags.

“Oh, no, it’s not…” Winona tried but Sarek was already giving a smaller one to Sam and the larger one to Jim.

“My wife insisted,” Sarek said.

Jim opened his bag and let out a gasp. “Whoa!”

“Amanda had picked a book for you, but I brought that home earlier today,” Sarek explained. “It was supposed to be a bag of babka for Amanda to give out. From a bakery she adores in London. However, my bag of babka was mixed up in the terminal and I came home with that. Spock has one, sent from his grandparents.”

Jim took out the big box and showed his mom his new remote control hovercar. “Look!”

“I see. Very nice.” Winona smiled at Sarek. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, thanks!” Jim said while Sam expressed his thanks. He got a new game for his gaming system.

Sarek nodded. “If you will excuse me, Amanda requires a thermometer for Spock.” Sarek bid them goodbyes before leaving them to see themselves out.

* * *

At home, Jim sat in the living room in front of their big, decorated Christmas tree. There were already a handful of beautifully wrapped presents under the tree. In a week, Santa would come and bring more. Jim hoped Santa brought him the dirt bike he’d asked for. He even said it could be old. If it was old, he could fix it and make it new.

Jim tore the box with his new toy open and took out the yellow hovercar. He sat it between his legs and admired it. He scratched his stomach and then his legs.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Jim glanced over to Sam who was lounging in a reclining chair. He was already playing his new game on the living room television.

“What do you mean?” Jim asked him. He scratched the back of his neck. The house phone went off. It rang a few times before they heard their mom pick it up.

“You keep itching yourself. Stop it.”

“Just some bug bites.” Jim went back to his new toy.

“There aren’t bugs in the winter.”

“There are too.” Jim just couldn’t think of any at the moment. He scratched an itch along his legs through his pajama bottoms.

“Jim.”

Jim picked up the controller for the hovercar. “Yeah, mom?”

His mother appeared in front of him. “Lift your shirt.”

Jim turned his head and gave her ‘what the heck’ look. She walked over. Her hand came to his forehead. Jim leaned away from her and pushed it away. “Hey!”

“You feel warm.”

“I feel…hey! Mom!” Winona lifted his shirt and made an ‘a-ha’ noise. Jim pushed his pajama shirt down and moved away from her. “Personal space, mom.”

“You have chicken pox,” she said, standing up.

“No, I don’t. I already had those when I was a baby.”

“And you’ve got them again.” She sighed. “You and your immune system. The school just called. A kid in your class came down with it.”

“So? I don’t have them.” Jim tried to resist scratching his stomach but just couldn’t. His mother gave him a ‘told you so’ look before walking away. Jim stuck his tongue out at her back then went back to playing with his new toy.


	2. Burglars

Jim felt little achy and under the weather the next morning. He had to stay home from school, which was fine by him. He cuddled deep into the covers of his bed and slept off and on for most of the day.

The next morning, his plans to play with his new car all day were interrupted when his mom entered his room and turned on all the lights.

“Ugh!” Jim threw the covers over his head and groaned. “Go way.”

“Get your shoes and big coat on.”

“’m still sick. Not going to school.”

“No, but you are going across the street. I was able to work remotely yesterday but today, I have to work all day in San Francisco and, as much as I love you,” she sat on the bed and pulled the covers off him and smiled brightly down on him. “you, home alone, isn’t a good thing.”

“It’s a great thing,” Jim countered with a sly smile.

“Mischief maker.”

“And proud of it. Also, I’m almost ten. That’s old enough to stay home alone.”

“Not quite.” She chuckled and kissed his forehead. “Amanda is home with Spock today, so you’ll go over there and keep each other company.”

Spock had also come down with the pox. Jim had tried messaging Spock the previous day, but he figured the Vulcan wasn’t up for talking. 

“You can stay in your pjs and bring your blanket.”

“Can I bring my new car?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” Jim got out of bed pulled on a hoodie and slipped on his shoes. He grabbed up his blanket while his mother picked up the toy hovercar.

Amanda let them into her home a few moments later. Jim went right up to Spock’s room and let himself inside. Spock had a trundle bed which Amanda had already pulled out for him and made up.

Jim plopped down on it, sitting on his knees and viewed the cocoon of blankets on top of Spock’s bed where Spock would be. Jim poked the mound. It moved. The Vulcan turned over and two eyes found Jim’s. Spock had the blankets up to his nose. Jim chuckled.

“Hey, you’re like a Vulcan burrito.”

“Typhoid Mary,” Spock said, narrowing his eyes.

Jim stuck his tongue out at him as Amanda and Winona came into the room. “Amanda, your son’s being mean to me.”

“Spock, don’t be mean to Jim.”

Spock grumbled about illogical humans and turned over again, pulling the covers over his head. Jim poked him again before laying down and making himself comfortable.

Amanda turned to Winona. “I should be home most of the day. I will have to run to the store later in the afternoon.”

Winona nodded. “That’s fine. I just figured it would be best he was with someone today instead of home alone.”

“Well, Spock will keep an eye on him when I have to step out.”

“Not if I’m dead,” Spock muttered.

“He’s such a drama queen when he’s sick,” Amanda giggled. “Gets it from his dad.”

Winona chuckled as well. “I lathered Jim up with anti-itch cream before we left the house. I left some downstairs. He should be fine, though. He’s had this before.”

“Typhoid Mary,” Spock muttered again.

“I’ll check Jim’s temperature around lunch then,” Amanda said.

Jim watched them leave, shutting the door behind them. The lights turned off a few seconds later and with the curtains drawn closed, made the room nice and dark. Jim let out a yawn and made himself comfy and cozy under the blankets before dozing off.

* * *

By lunch time, Jim was tired of resting and was getting restless. He sat up on the trundle bed and poked at Spock who was still wrapped up in his cocoon.

“Spock.”

.

.

.

“Spocko.”

.

.

.

“Spockums.”

The cocoon moved and Spock turned over. “What?”

Jim folding his arms on Spock’s bed and rested his chin on them. “Whatcha doing?”

“Resting because I am dying, and I would like to die in peace and quiet.”

“You’re not dying. You just got the chicken pox like me.”

“Typhoid Mary.”

“Debbie Downer.”

Spock stuck his tongue out at Jim. Jim stuck his tongue out at Spock.

“Hey, do you have spots on your thing too?”

Spock groaned and turned back over. Jim shook his head. Just then the door opened, and Amanda entered with a large tray.

“I made soup.”

“Thank you, Amanda.”

She put the tray down on Spock’s bed at the end. She handed a bowl who took and went to Spock’s desk to sit and eat. She also gave him something to drink and a cheese sandwich.

Jim watched amusingly as Amanda went about coaxing Spock to sit up and eat his soup. The Vulcan did so begrudgingly. Sitting with his back against his headboard and a bowl of hot purplish soup in his lap. Amanda left them alone again. Spock just sat there, eyeing the soup, not moving.

Jim sighed and picked up his soup bowl and joined Spock in bed, sitting next to him with is back against the headboard as well. “Yours looks good. Eat it.”

“I am experiencing a loss of appetite. A common symptom of the varicella-zoster virus.”

“I’m not.” Jim slurped some of his chicken noodle soup into his mouth.

“Fascinating.”

“Just try a little bit. Santa won’t come if you don’t eat your soup.”

“Santa is a fictitious character originating in Western Christian culture.”

“Alright, Scrooge. You’re getting coal in your stocking.”

Spock arched a brow.

Jim smiled brightly at him. Yeah, he felt bleh, but it wasn’t the first time he’d been sick, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. He just wanted Spock to feel a bit better. Jim picked up Spock’s spoon.

“Nyeeerm,” Jim made an airplane noise and flew the spoon to Spock’s mouth.

The Vulcan kept his mouth closed. Jim flew it around again, some spilling back into the bowl.

“Nyeerm, here comes the plane.” Jim held the spoon back to Spock’s mouth. The Vulcan opened his mouth slightly and Jim pressed the spoon in. “Good boy.”

“You are illogical.”

“Illogically awesome,” Jim retorted. “Now, here comes the choochoo.” Jim made a train noise and fed Spock another spoonful of his purple soup.

* * *

After eating, Amanda took their bowls away. She rechecked their temperatures. Jim was 99.5 and Spock’s was…well, they had weird temperatures, but Amanda said it was a fever, so Jim believed her. She then left the house, leaving them alone while she went to the store. A snowstorm was coming, and she wanted to stock up beforehand.

Jim watched her leave from the window over Spock’s desk, giving her a wave. He watched a woman in jogging gear go by pushing a baby carriage. Jim didn’t recognize. He saw an older gentleman, slowly walking on the other side of the street with a cane. Jim didn’t recognize him either, but then again, he was usually at school at this hour.

Turning from the window, Jim announced, “I’m bored.”

When he heard no reply from Spock, Jim bounced over to the other’s bed and plopped down next to him. Spock had made himself into another cocoon on his bed.

“C’mon, Spock, let’s play something.”

Spock didn’t reply. Jim poked the cocoon but all he heard was some soft snoring from his friend.

Jim sighed. He removed himself from the bed and walked over to the other window beside the desk. There, Spock had a telescope. Jim opened the curtains a bit so he could see out. He peaked through the telescope. Curiously, he found it pointing at his house and bedroom window.

_Weird Vulcan._ Jim turned the telescope and looked around the neighborhood. The lady with the stroller was jogging in place at the end of the cul-de-sac with her finger to her ear. The older man was at the other end of their neighborhood street, looking around.

Jim shrugged then peeked over to Ms. Gundersen’s house. She was home, he saw through the living room window. Jim adjusted the telescope and zoomed in more. She was watching TV. He turned the telescope to the left, down the cul-de-sac and then stopped suddenly.

“What?” Jim zoomed out of the Myers house then readjusted and zoomed back in. There was a Cardassian, dressed in black, in their living room. Jim blinked and watched the man opening doors and drawers in the room. He stopped then moved out of sight. Jim tried another window and another before finally finding him again, this time in the kitchen.

_That’s not Mr. Myers!_ Jim went to the bed and shook the cocoon. “Spock, Spock! Wake up!”

“Leave me to die in peace,” Spock groaned.

“Spock, there’s a burglar in the Myers house!”

Spock groaned again and put the covers over his head.

“Spock!” Jim shook his friend one more time before jumping off the bed and running downstairs to the living room. Jim had to sit on the floor for a few moments when a wave of dizziness washed over him. He crawled to the phone unit and dialed 9-1-1.

* * *

Jim sat on the couch at his house and looked up at the adults before him. His mother. Spock’s parents. Mr. Myers. And two police officers.

“I swear there was a Cardassian in the house.”

“Son, we checked the house. There were no signs of anyone being in there. The security system was still up and running. No sign of tampering.”

“Well, they must’ve hacked it or something because how else would they have gotten inside!”

“Jim,” his mother said sternly.

Jim crossed his arms and sunk back into the couch. “Spock was with me. He knows it happened.”

“Spock said he never left the bed. And he also said you were bored,” Winona spoke. “Jim, making up stories…”

“I didn’t make it up!”

“Calling the emergency number is a serious thing, young man,” the other officer said. “We had to break down a door.”

“Well, if you’d come sooner than maybe you would’ve got him.”

“James,” Winona fussed. “Grounded. Upstairs now.”

Jim let out an exasperated noise and stomped upstairs. He sat at the top of the steps and listened to the adults. His mother apologized for him. She’d pay for the door. Amanda was sorry for going to the store, but Winona assured her it was fine, and Jim just had an active imagination.

Jim pouted and stood. He stomped down the hall to his room.

“Liar liar, pants on fire,” the bird squawked from his brother’s room.

“Shut up, bird breath.”

“Nice comeback,” Sam chuckled from his desk. “Hey, next time, why don’t you just go break into a house yourself.”

“I saw what I saw.”

“Fever dream most likely. Do it again and they’ll arrest you.”

“Nu-uh!” Jim walked away and back to his room. He plopped down onto his bed and picked up his PADD. He pulled up his message app.

_Traitor,_ he sent to Spock.

_I was honest and told my parents what occurred. I am no traitor. I would never betray you._

_But now everyone thinks I’m a liar and made it up._

_Did you?_

_Of course not! I saw what I saw!_

_Perhaps you saw a shadow of something. You did have a fever. Fevers can…_

Jim groaned and tossed the PADD to the end of his bed. He did see a burglar. He did.

* * *

The next day, Winona gave him stern words before taking him over the Spock’s house. She had to work again, and Amanda was more than happy to watch him again.

Jim made himself comfy on the trundle bed while Spock was still wrapped up in his bedding on his bed.

“I have no plans to leave the house today,” Jim heard Amanda tell his mom.

“It is alright if you do. I think Jim was just…I don’t know. He’s so creative. Just wish he’d use that talent for good and not prank calls.”

Jim pulled the blankets over him and grumbled. “Spock.”

“Yes.”

“I’m not mad at you.”

“Thank you.”

“You still dying?”

“Yes.”

“Can we play chess later if you’re still alive?”

“Possibly.”

Jim nodded to himself and went to sleep.

* * *

Jim sat at Spock’s desk and sipped his soup Amanda had made. He looked out the window and watched the lady from the previous day running around pushing the stroller. Another unfamiliar man walked a familiar dog. Jim sat up and stared.

“Hey, I think that’s Ivy’s dog.”

“Who?” Spock asked from where he was still lying-in bed. Jim had tried to get him to eat but he wouldn’t.

“Ivy. She lives on the next street over.” Jim looked at his friend who was peering at him from under the covers. “She’s the red headed girl that called you a butthead and kicked you because you wouldn't be her girlfriend.”

“Illogical.”

Jim looked back out of the window, but the man and the dog had gone out of sight.

_Curious. Maybe a dog walker?_

“Boys,” Amanda came into the room. “I’m afraid I have to run out. Sarek forgot his heart medication.”

“Is he okay?”

Amanda nodded. “He is, but he needs it.” She put her hands on his hips. “James.”

“I’m not going to call the cops,” he groaned.

“Please don’t.” She walked over and felt his forehead. “Still warm.” She went to Spock and checked his temperature.

“Is he going to be okay?” Jim asked.

Amanda finished and nodded. “Yes. He rarely gets sick and when he does, he’s down and out for a few days to a week.”

“Because I’m dying,” Spock moaned, before turning over and burrowing himself again.

“Kan-bu. I will be back. Please behave. Both of you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Spock grumbled from under the covers.

Amanda gave them another look before leaving the room. Jim watched her out of the window. She waved at the woman jogging. The woman gave a little nod in return. Amanda got into her hovercar and drove off. The woman stopped and looked around. The man with Ivy’s dog, now at the end of the street did the same.

“Weirdos.”

The people went back to what they had been doing. Jim turned away from the window and looked at the cocoon of blankets that was Spock.

“Spock.”

.

.

.

“Spock!”

“What?” a muffled voice replied.

“Wanna play chess? You’re not dead.”

“I am nearly dead. Also, I am afraid to sit up or stand. I feel nauseas.”

Jim threw his head back and whined. He scratched his neck and stood. He went back to the telescope and found it was still pointing at the Myers’ home. Jim saw yellow tape on the front door and grimaced.

_Oops._

He moved the telescope and viewed the houses on the other side of the street. Finding nothing noteworthy, he titled it back down the street. Their neighborhood had some back streets behind the houses, mostly for garbage trucks. Parked behind Ms. Gundersen’s house Jim saw a mini ran he didn’t recognize.

Jim turned the telescope some more, checking Gundersen’s house before moving to the house next to hers. 

“Seriously!” Jim zoomed out, readjusted, and zoomed back in on the Quimby house. There he was. Again! A Cardassian, dressed in black, in an upstairs bedroom room. Jim blinked and watched the man opening doors and drawers in the room. He stopped then moved out of sight. Jim tried another window and another before finally finding him again, this in another bedroom on the second floor.

“Spock! Spock, get up and look!” Jim rushed the bed and started pulling up covers. “The burglar is back! Look! Please!” Jim tried hauling the boy up, but the Vulcan was heavy.

Spock moaned and tried to get the covers back.

“Spock, please. You gotta look. You gotta!”

Spock slid out of the bed and Jim helped him to stand. They made a few feet before Spock doubled over and fell to the ground. “I’m dying.”

“Oh, c’mon!” Jim looked back into the telescope and saw the Cardassian was now downstairs. Jim jumped over Spock still on the floor and ran for the comm.

* * *

Jim crossed his arms over his chest and sunk back onto the couch. His mother, Spock’s parents, Mx. Quimby, and two police officers stood before him.

“I swear there was a Cardassian in the house.”

“Son,” the same officer as yesterday said. “we checked the house. And just like yesterday, there were no signs of anyone being in there. The security system was still up and running. No sign of tampering.”

“Ya’ll just aren’t good at your job then,” Jim said.

“James,” his mother hissed.

The officer knelt down in front of Jim. “Son, this is…”

“I’m not your son,” Jim snapped.

The officer sighed. “Jim. This is the second time in two days you have called the police. It is a very serious matter when a person calls us.”

“I saw a burglar yesterday and I saw a burglar today. Same guy. A tall Cardassian, dressed in black. There’s also a woman with a stroller who doesn’t live here. Short black hair. Skinny. And an old guy with a cane. Plus, yesterday, there was a strange minivan in one of the side streets.”

“That’s…there was no one in that house,” the officer said.

“And Ivy’s dog, too! Someone must’ve taken him.”

“Did Ivy tell you her dog was taken?”

“No. I don’t talk to her. She called Spock a butthead because he wouldn’t be her boyfriend. Just ask Spock.”

“About Ivy?”

“No! About the burglars. He was there. He knows I saw a burglar.”

“Jim,” Amanda said. “Spock was on the floor sleeping when we got home.”

“He…I tried to get him to look in the telescope! I swear there was a burglar…”

“Jim,” his mother said, interrupting him. “Apologize to the officer and go up to your room.”

“Excuse me for being a good citizen,” Jim said instead before walking off. He stood at the top of the stairs and listened to his mother apologizing for him.

“I know he can be a little much,” His mother said. “But he usually doesn’t come up with stories like this.”

“I know he can be a handful, Winona,” the officer said. “I went to school here with George and the shenanigans we got up to…well, seems the apple doesn’t fall to far from the tree. Jim’s a kid. He’ll realize that crying wolf eventually doesn’t work for attention.”

“’m not crying wolf,” Jim muttered. He continued down the hall. His brother stopped him as he was passing his room. His bird perched on his shoulder.

“Loser,” she croaked.

“Shut up,” Jim fussed at it.

“Now that you’ve pranked the cops twice, it goes on your permanent record,” Sam said with a smirk. “One more call and its juvie. Kid prison.”

“Shut up.”

“You’ve stained the family name, Jim.”

Jim got to his door and turned to look back at his brother. “I wasn’t lying.”

Sam continued, “Sure. Keep that up. Maybe you’ll believe it.”

Jim slammed his door closed. He heard his brother and his damn parrot laughing at him. He walked to his bed and threw himself onto it. His PADD on the bedside table lit up. Jim took it and saw a message from Spock. Jim ignored it and sent Ivy a message instead.


	3. Proof

“Jim, time to go…”

“I’m not leaving my house.” Jim fussed, turning to his other side away from his door and mother. He heard her sigh before walking away.

Several minutes later, Jim heard talking downstairs and then someone coming up the stairs.

“Jim.”

Jim glanced over his shoulder. “Oh, now you can walk and stand.”

Spock stood in the doorway, hugging a large, folded blanket to himself. He nodded. “I am feeling better today. I meditated and ate last night.”

Jim turned away again. He listened as Spock came closer and settled behind Jim on the bed.

“I sent you a message last night.”

“I ignored it.”

“I surmised that was the case. I do apologize for not backing you up. However, I did not see anything.”

“But I told you and you don’t believe me.”

“I believe in evidence.”

“Evidence, smevidence.”

“That is not a word.”

“I’m a witness. I saw a Cardassian burglar.” Jim turned onto his back and looked at Spock lying beside him. “There’s also a woman with a stroller who doesn’t live here. And an old guy with a cane. A guy with Ivy’s stolen dog. He was dognapped. I asked her. She said he went missing a few days ago. Oh, and an unknown minivan. How’s that for evidence, Spock.”

“Perhaps, you have not met everyone in the neighborhood.”

“Have you?”

“No.”

Jim got up out of bed and dragged Spock over to his window. He opened the curtains a bit and then some of the blinds. They stood there for a while before Jim hit Spock’s arm. “Look, there, the jogging lady.”

Spock leaned closer to the window and peered out. “Yes, I see. She is not familiar.”

“Right!” Jim looked down the street. “And there’s the old man.”

“Not familiar, either,” Spock said.

Jim leaned against Spock’s side. “Now do you believe me. Even just a little bit?”

“I suppose.”

Jim snorted and shook his head. “Where’s your mom?”

“Downstairs knitting.”

“Okay.” Jim walked away from Spock and out of the room. When he came back, he was holding a gun.

Spock froze and eyed it suspiciously.

“Relax. It’s Sam’s bb gun.” Jim put it on the bed and fiddle with the scope on the top. It came loose easily, and Jim held it up to his eye. “I don’t have a telescope so we can watch the houses with this.”

“Fascinating.”

Jim tossed it to him. He shut his door and took out a poster board he’d used for a project a few months previous. On the back, Jim had drawn a map of the neighborhood.

He put an X over the Quimby’s house. There was already one over the Myers’s next door to the Quimby’s.

Spock looked at it. “This is not to scale.”

“I did what I could,” Jim told him. “Look, they hit the Myers and the Quimby’s which are houses next to each other. I think they’ll go for Ms. Gundersen’s next.”

“Why?”

“Um…” Jim pointed at the map. “It’s the next house.”

“Yes, but there is bav Hus family next to the Myers.”

“True. But they don’t have a wreath on their door.”

Spock arched a brow.

“A wreath?”

Jim nodded. “The Myers have a wreath on their door so does the Quimby’s and so does Ms. Gundersen.”

“Your theory is that the burglars are only targeting homes with wreaths?”

“Yep!”

“Why?”

“I don’t know! I’m not the burglars! But look, we know where they are going to hit next. We can catch them in the act.”

“The act of what, though?” Spock questioned. “From what I have gathered, nothing appeared out of place or taken in either home. What kind of burglar enters a home without taking anything?”

Jim scratched the back of his neck and stared at the map he’d made of their neighborhood. “Um…maybe they are looking for something.”

“Logical, but what are they looking for.”

“I’m not the burglar, Spock. I don’t know. It’s gotta be something special. They don’t know where it is, so they are checking everyone.” Jim smiled at him. “I got an idea. Go get your remote control hovercar.”

“Why?”

* * *

Spock arched a brow at the idea. They were up in the attic of Jim’s house, under the guise of ‘playing’ they had told Amanda. Jim had brought up a television set and his new hovercar after some rewiring, had set up two cameras on top of their hovercars and connected the feed to the television.

“Sort of like a video game,” Jim said. The picture on the television screen was split in two. Spock’s car’s camera on top while Jim’s was on the bottom. “I set up mine last night, so it was easy rigging yours as well.” He handed over Spock’s controller. “I did have to take apart a few things so…I may end up grounded for longer.”

“Your mind is…” Spock looked at what Jim had rigged up. “Fascinating.”

Jim grinned big. “I know.”

Spock followed Jim downstairs.

“Where are you two going?” Amanda asked from the couch.

“I just wanna show Spock something in the back yard really quick,” Jim said innocently.

“With the hovercars?” She shook her head. “Boys, its freezing. A snowstorm is expected tomorrow. And you both are sick. No playing outside.”

Jim pouted. “I just wanna show him something really quick.”

“Upstairs. Both of you. You can play in the house but not outside.”

“Fine.” Jim and Spock walked away but instead of going up the stairs, Jim walked past and to the garage. He carefully opened the door and went into it.

“My mother said…”

“We’re in the garage. Its inside.”

“True.”

Jim shivered as his sock covered feet met the cold concrete of the garage floor. He padded across to the side door and opened it up. He placed his outside and Spock did the same.

“Boys.”

They stood quickly and Jim shut the door. “We weren’t doing nothing.”

“We were not doing anything,” Spock corrected.

Amanda put her hands on her hips. “You both need to be resting. Upstairs and in bed.”

“Can we go back into the attic?”

“Will you rest and behave up there?”

They both nodded.

She smiled and nodded her head towards the inside of the house. “Go on, you two, mischief makers.”

“And proud of it!” Jim ran past her. Spock walked at a normal pace and old his mother that he was not a mischief maker.

Back in the attic, Jim sat on a bean bag chair with Spock next to him. The screen showed pictures of the fence across from where the hovercars were parked.

“Follow me to Ms. Gundersen’s house.” Jim used his controller and made his toy move. Using the joysticks to flyer the car to the right and towards the sidewalk. Spock followed suit with his. Their cars stopped at the end of Jim’s driveway. Jim got up and looked out of the window of the attic.

Jim watched Ms. Gundersen leave through the side door of her house and slowly walk to her hovercar. She got in and backed out, driving off and down the street. He saw the jogging lady stop and watch the car. The old man did the same. They both touched their ears and then spoke before continuing on.

“Okay, so the strangers are in motion.” Jim turned away. “We gotta move quickly to get to Ms. Gundersen’s without them seeing us.” Jim pressed the joystick up and watched his car down outside drive forward. Spock’s car followed.

Jim kept an eye on the strangers as his car moved. So far, their backs were to the cars. Across the street he controlled his car and up Ms. Gundersen’s driveway towards the side door. Jim stopped and went back to the beanbag chair. He plopped down and looked at eth screen.

“I think I should go in and you stay out here, somewhere, as backup. Go the window and watch for the others.”

Spock stood and did as he was told.

Jim’s car slowly entered the house through the doggy door. Jim found himself in Ms. Gundersen’s mud room that had an open door leading into her kitchen. Jim pushed forward slowly. In the kitchen, all he found was Henry and Katja, Ms. Gundersen’s cats. They pawed at the hovercar but one jerk forward at them had the kitties scampering quickly away.

Jim giggled at the kitties then continued on, driving the hovercar through the kitchen and into the living room. He gasped.

Spock turned quickly and looked at him. “What?”

“There he is!” Jim hissed.

Spock came to his side and knelt down. He viewed the tv screen. There, in Ms. Gundersen’s living room was a Cardassian looking through a closet to the other side of the room. His back was to them, but it was clearly a Cardassian.

“Yes…that…that…fascinating.”

Jim looked at Spock and slapped his arm. “I told you! I told you all!”

“Indeed.” Spock went to stand. “I should get my mother.”

“Yeah, that would…” Jim looked back to the screen. “wait…where’d he go?”

Spock sat back down next to him. Jim moved the car forward a bit.

Suddenly the face of the burglar appeared on their screen.

“Ah!” Jim yelped as Spock jumped and caused himself to fall back on his butt.

The Cardassian held a hand to ear. “I have it.”

“Has what? My car?” Jim questioned.

“It is recording me.” He reached out towards the car, but Jim moved quicker. Backing the car away and out of reach. They heard the burglar shout. 

Jim made the car quickly spin and zoom back to the kitchen. They heard shouting in Cardassian. Jim went to quickly turn to head towards the cat door again, but Henry jumped out of nowhere onto it.

“C’mon!” Jim shouted as he spun out behind a counter.

The Cardassian ran into the room, bumping into in the counter and knocking a basket of laundry to fall on top of it. From a gap in the fabric Jim saw the burglar open the back door and peer out.

On Spock’s camera they saw the Cardassian staring at it. It cocked his head to the side then turned back into the house.

“There is another car outside with a camera. Get it while I find the other.”

Spock went to the window and had his car fly off behind some trashcans out of sight. He saw the other two jogging back towards Ms. Gundersen’s house.

“Jim, the others are coming.”

“Okay, okay.” Jim watched the Cardassian through the gap in the fabric. He was looking around the area.

“He’ll see me if I try and move.”

“Should I do something?”

“I don’t…wait…I got it.”

Jim dropped the controller and ran from the attic. Spock watched the window and the screen. The Cardassian was now looking down at the ground of laundry.

Jim came back with Sam’s flapping parrot at the house’s comm. Jim put the bird on a perch then dialed a number.

“Jim, he is getting closer.”

“One sec!”

The Cardassian started to kneel down, reaching a hand towards the pile of laundry over the car and camera.

“Jim…”

Through the TV they heard Ms. Gundersen’s home comm start ringing. The Cardassian jerked up and turned away.

“Ring ring!” Jim said, holding the phone to the bird when the answering machine picked up.

“Hello, this is Winona,” the bird started talking. “I’m running late to the office again. I’m sorry I missed your earlier call. Can I call you back? I’m about to jump into the shower.”

Jim went back to the bean bag and plopped down as the bird started to sing, mimicking his mother in the shower. He picked up the controller and watched the Cardassian turn away and walk towards the comm. Jim counted to three then jabbed the go button forward while pressing the accelerator.

“Seeya!” The car lurched forward and zoomed out from the laundry and towards the open door.

“Jim, wait!” Spock called out but it was too late. The hover went outside and immediately ran into the jogging lady’s stroller, knocking it over and turning Jim’s car onto its side.

“Oh…fudge!” Jim shouted. He went to the window. They watched the old man pick up the hovercar as the Cardassian came outside. The man tore off the camera from the top of the car and tossed it to the ground.

“What do we do?” Spock asked.

The three burglars talked amongst themselves as they looked over the car. The lady jogger took it and held close.

Jim cocked his head to the side. “Hmmm…let me see if this will work.” Jim pushed down on his controls and the car flew up, knocking the woman in the face and causing her to fall backwards to the ground. The hovercar went several feet before settling on the ground.

“Let’s go, Spock.” Jim started to fly his away.

Spock’s car zoomed from behind the trash bins and followed Jim as the burglars started chasing. Jim turned down the street and started to go down towards the main road.

“Jim.”

“We can’t bring them back here, Spock. Gotta lose ‘em first. I don’t have the camera, you do.”

They continued pressing their controls forward as they went back to the chairs before the tv. Spock followed Jim. They went down a driveway and into a back yard. Through the yard they went and behind the shed until they came to the back-alley road. They turned sharply and followed it down towards Jim’s back yard. Just before they got to Jim’s house to turn off the mysterious van turned into the alley and barreled towards them.

“Fudge sickles!” Jim shouted. “Go straight at it.”

“Are you certain?” Spock questioned.

“He’s a chicken. He won’t hit us. Head down the middle and we’ll go right under.”

“I do not think that will work.”

“Just trust me.”

Spock made a face but followed Jim anyway. The car kept towards them but at the last minute came to a sudden stop. Jim chuckled and they went right under the van and continued on.

“Now what?” Spock asked, letting out a sigh.

“Onto the next street.” Jim turned and their cars went through another backyard away from the alley and Jim’s house. “Just follow me so I can see where we’re going.”

They saw no signs of the burglars as they continued on through a few more yards until they came to a stop in the backyard of some friends from school. Spock drove his car around Jim’s in a circle so they could see if they’d been followed. They appeared to be alone. Spock maneuvered the car next to Jim. Straight head was a wood pile that reaching the told of the yard’s wooden fence. A blanket of snow had made an untouched incline up the top.

“I think we lost them,” Jim said.

“How do we get back to your house?”

“Well, we’re right across from my backyard.”

Spock looked at him.

Jim looked back and grinned. “Gonna jump it.”

“No.”

“We’ll make it.”

“We will not.”

“Have faith, Spock.”

“Logic says no.”

Jim stuck his tongue out at Spock. “Punch it, Spock.” Jim pressed his controls down, but the car didn’t move.

Spock tried his but his car didn’t move either. On their controls a light blinked indicating out of a range.

“Shit.”

“Language.”

“Fudge. It was just working.”

“Controls can be finicky.”

Jim stood. “C’mon.” Jim ran from the attic with Spock following.

Amanda wasn’t in the living room when Jim and Spock entered. They heard some bustling in the kitchen nearby, so they quickly crept across the room and to the back door. Jim carefully slid the sliding door open and stepped out onto the back porch in his sock covered feet. Spock joined him.

“Punch it, Spock.”

They pressed their controls down, hoping their cars were moving. Jim bit his bottom lip and bounced up and down on the balls of his feet. They waited and waited until…

“Look!” Their cars appeared in the air, flying from the yard across the way, through the air and towards Jim’s yard.

“Sweet,” Jim said.

“Fascinating. These aren’t mean to fly. They are only mean to hover…and they have crashed.”

Jim hissed as both their cars smacked to the ground and bounced. Jim’s front end of his car cracked while Spock’s flipped and slammed on its back, squishing it slightly.

Jim ignored the look Spock was giving him and ran over to their cars. He grabbed his while Spock picked the other. They ran back into the house just as Amanda walked into the living room from the kitchen. Jim smiled innocently while Spock stared blankly.

“Do I want to know?” she asked.

“No,” they both said.

“Nap time. Upstairs.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

She walked away and the boys quickly scurried upstairs and back to the attic. They turned off the tv and sat across from each other with the wreckage of their cars.

“At least we have footage,” Spock said.

Jim nodded. “Uh-uh, execpt…well…”

Spock looked at him and arched a brow. “Well?”

Jim laughed nervously. “So…I kind of forgot to record any of that. Whoops.”

Spock’s shoulders sunk. “After all we just went through, you were not recording?”

Jim grinned and nodded. “Hey, your eye is twitching.”

“You frustrate me.”

“I do that all the time.”

“Indeed.” Spock shook his head. “Should be notify our parents? Now that I have seen the burglars as well, they will believe you.”

“I don’t think they will. I think they’ll think that I convinced you to play along with whatever game I’m playing.” Jim sighed. “Grownups suck.”

“My father can meld with me. Then he will know the truth.”

“I guess.” Jim picked up his car. “They were after my car.”

“They were. Why?”

“Didn’t your dad mistakenly get this?” Jim turned the car this way and that, looking it over.

Spock nodded. “Yes. It was originally a bag of bread but somewhere during his trip home, his bag and another’s were mixed up. He didn’t realize the mistake until he was in a cab home.”

Jim turned the car onto its back. He leaned over and looked carefully at the back. There were screws were the car was put together. But one was missing. Jim touched it.

“Jim?”

Jim scratched his chest. _Curious._

“Boys, I said nap time.” Amanda stood at the bottom of the steps to the attic and called up. “You both still have low-grade fevers and need to rest.”

“I am fatigued,” Spock admitted.

Jim yawned. “Same.”

“We will continue this later.”

“Yeah.”

* * *

After a nap and lunch, Jim brought his car down from the attic and grabbed his small tool chest. Spock, back in a cocoon of blankets watched Jim sit on the floor and unscrew the back of the hovercar. 

“What are you doing?”

“There was a screw missing.” Jim glanced to the Vulcan. “It was tampered with.”

“It did crash.”

“True but I think this happened before.” Jim went back to his task. When all screws were out, Jim put his tool down and lifted the bottom off of the toy hovercar. Inside, Jim found a small data chip, not connected to anything, just laying inside the toy. He picked it up and held it before his eyes. There was a small Starfleet insignia etched in the corner.

“What’s Section 31?”

“I do not know,” Spock replied.

Jim stood and walked out of the room. He came back with the landline that had still be in the attic. He plopped down next to Spock on his bed and called Starfleet Headquarters. He knew the number. He also knew his mother’s department’s extension but this time he pressed the number for information. Spock listened as Jim was connected to someone in technology.

“Starfleet Headquarters, Technology Division,” a voice answered. “How may I direct your call?”

“Um…I don’t know. I found a data chip in my remote control hovercar.”

There was a pause before the person replied, “Many toys have data chips. This is Starfleet and…”

“Yeah, I know. My data chip has the Starfleet logo.”

“Is it a Starfleet toy?”

“No. Its just a regular hovercar. It also says Section 31. Could I talk to Section 31?”

“There is no Section 31. Sir, this number is for…”

“Can you take a message then? For an admiral or something?”

Another pause before a sigh. “What is your name?”

“Jim Kirk. I’m in Riverside, Iowa. My mom is Winona Kirk. She works with ya’ll. In engineering. Tell the admiral I found the chip in my toy car and that there were some burglars trying to get it.” Jim also added his phone number.

“I will forward this along, Mr. Kirk.”

“Thanks. Have a nice day.”

“You are too.”

The line disconnected and Jim let the phone drop to the bed. He turned the chip over in his hands.

“I still think informing my parents would be ideal.”

“Maybe. But the less they know, the better. Those burglars are bad news.”

“Indeed.”

Jim turned and put the chip in his bedside table. “Wanna play chess now?”

“Certainly.”

* * *

“The house is in one piece,” Winona commented that night for dinner. Amanda, Sarek, and Spock were joining them.

“And no calls to the police,” Amanda added, giving the boys a wink.

Jim and Spock exchanged a look and then nodded.

“What did you two do today?” Sarek asked them.

“Just played,” Jim replied. “And napped.”

“Indeed,” Spock agreed. “I won a game of chess.”

“I won the other game.”

“You cheated.”

“I thought creatively.”

“Cheated.”

Jim shook his head. “Just cause you moved the wrong piece, doesn’t mean I cheated.”

“You distracted me.”

“Nu-uh.”

“Yes.”

“Nu-uh.”

“Don’t they argue like an old married couple?” Amanda said.

Sarek raised a brow while Winona chuckled. “Oh, goodness they do.”

“Spock and Jim, sitting in a tree…” Sam started under his breath but stopped when Jim kicked him under the table. Sam stuck his tongue out at him, and Jim did it back.

_Ring….ring….ring_

“I’ll get it!” Jim said. He stood and rushed upstairs where he’d left the landline. He picked it up and was walking out of his room when he answered it. “Kirk residence.”

“Is this the child that keeps calling the police on us?” a woman’s voice asked.

Jim’s eyes widened and he immediately hung up the phone.

“Jim! Who was on the phone?” his mother called up the stairs.

Jim walked slowly downstairs. “It was…” _Ring…ring…ring_. Jim stared at the phone in his hand.

“Jim, answer it,” his mother said from the bottom of the stairs.

He shook his head.

“James.” His mother walked over and went to grab the phone, but Jim held it away.

“No, it’s just a telemarketer.”

“Then let me tell them off for calling at dinnertime.” Winona managed to get the phone from her son and answered. “Kirk residence, Winona speaking.”

Jim stared up at his mother. She smiled. “Mrs. Clovis, hey. I’m good, how are you.” She turned and walked into the kitchen. Jim followed and stood in the doorway.

“You know, Jim did get a toy car, but it was a gift from a neighbor…uh-huh…well, you know how little boys can be…one moment, I’ll ask.” Winona turned and jumped slightly seeing Jim standing there. “Sweetie, Bradley Clovis’ mom is on the phone. Have you seen his toy car?”

Jim shook his head.

Winona went back to the phone call. “He hasn’t. He’s been under the weather and cooped up in the house the past few days…yep, those police calls…if you need some peace of mind, you certainly can stop by in the morning…Jim!” Jim had rushed over and disconnected the line. His mother’s hazel eyes stared in disbelief at him. “Why did you do that?”

“Its not Mrs. Clovis, mom. It’s a scammer.” Jim opened a nearby drawer and pulled out the neighborhood directory. “Call her back. You’ll see.”

Winona huffed but did. She opened the directory and found the Clovis’ number. She dialed and held the phone back to her ear. “Mrs. Clovis?....Hey, its Winona, I’m sorry we got disconnected…right…so, yeah, come by in the morning. I have to leave by eight. Great…see you then.” Winona disconnected and put the phone down. “Mrs. Clovis will be coming by in the morning to look at your car to make sure its not Bradley’s. Which, we know it’s not, but we’ll let her see anyway. Understood.”

Jim nodded. He couldn’t help but scratch at his neck as well. His mother patted him on the head then felt his forehead. “Your fever seems to be down. C’mon, lets finish dinner with everyone.”

When they came back into the dining room, Jim blurted out, “Can Spock spend the night?”

Spock arched a brow at him. Jim gave him a look while the adults exchanged looked amongst themselves.

“I don’t see why not,” Amanda said. “They were well behaved today.”

“Indeed,” Spock agreed, taking Jim’s silent cue. “I would like to spend the night with Jim.”

“Sarek?”

“I have no objections,” Sarek replied.

* * *

“Why am I spending the night?” Spock asked after dinner when they were back in Jim’s room.

Jim went to his desk. He pulled open drawers until he found what he was looking for. A large sketchbook he’d gotten for his birthday a year prior.

“Jim.”

“They are on to us,” Jim said, grabbing some colored pencils. He sat down on his floor and opened the sketchbook. “They are going to come by in the morning. We gotta protect the house.” Jim started drawing the first floor and outside of his house while Spock stood over him and watch. When Jim was done, he tore out the page and then started on the second floor on a new page.

Spock leaned down and picked up the first paper. “This isn’t to scale.”

Jim rolled his eyes. “Would if make you feel better if it was to scale?”

“It would.” Spock grabbed a ruler and a protractor from Jim’s desk. He sat down across from him and grabbed a blank piece of paper.


	4. Defending the House

Jim woke with a start at his alarm the next morning. Spock was already awake and in Jim’s corner meditating. Jim slapped at the alarm, shutting it off then got up. He and Spock had spent most of the night silently sneaking around the house, preparing for the invaders. He left Spock in the room while he cleaned up for the day and put a clean pair of clothes on. Being in his pajamas the past days hadn’t been all the fun. Downstairs, he found his mother making a bag lunch for his brother for school.

“Morning,” Jim said.

“Morning, sweetie.” She touched his forehead. “Not as warm as yesterday.”

“No and I’m feeling better.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” She went back to the lunch for Sam. “Mrs. Clovis will be over around eight. If she comes to the door while I’m in the shower, can you please show her your car.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Jim grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and went back upstairs. Spock was done meditating and was standing by the window.

“A snowstorm is supposed to come through today.”

Jim stood beside him. “Yeah.” He bit into his apple. “You ready?”

“I am.”

* * *

Jim cut the cord to the doorbell when the jogger lady approached. This time she had Ivy’s dog. Jim peeked through the curtains by the front door and watched as she looked around and continued pressing the doorbell.

He held up his walkie talkie. “Now.”

Jim watched Ivy’s dog, Doug, perk his ears up and walk a few feet away. Jim lifted his other hand and blew the doggie whistle he had. Doug rushed over to Jim’s side, pulling on the leash and causing the lady to stumble but not lose her footing completely.

“Again.” Jim said into the walkie.

This time, Doug bolted back to the other side, taking the lady with him. She let out a startled scream as she fell to the ground and was dragged away from the massive dog. Jim couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

He heard Spock run away, going to the side of the house to let Doug out of the leash so he could run home. Jim checked outside and saw the van slowly drive down the street then out of sight.

Across the street, Jim watched Spock’s parents leave their house. Jim made a face as Amanda and Sarek kissed for a long time.

“Doug is on his way…ew,” Spock said, looking over Jim’s shoulder. He turned away and Jim laughed.

“Kissing is gross and grownups are weird.”

“Indeed,” Spock agreed.

“Did Mrs. Clovis stop by?” Winona came downstairs and asked.

“Yep.”

She looked into the room at them. “Did you let her down easy?”

Jim grinned. “No.”

Winona smiled and shook her head. “Some people. I will be back in a few hours. Hopefully before the storm comes in. Amanda is coming over again to watch you two. Unless you want to go to Spock’s?”

Jim and Spock shook their heads.

“Alright. Well, I love you. Both of you. Be safe and no getting into any trouble.”

“Yes, mom.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Jim followed his mom out the garage and gave her a hug. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Am I still grounded?” Jim asked.

She touched his cheek. “Yes.”

_Probably will be big time after today._ “Okay.”

The garage door opened and Amanda walked in as Winona backed out. They waved at each other and then his mom was gone. Amanda waved her hand over the sensor by the side door in the garage and the garage door closed.

“How are you today, Jim?”

“Not good. Spock’s not good either. Can you go to the store and get us some stuff.”

“The store?” Amanda asked, walking into the house. Spock, for his part, was lying on the couch in a mound of blankets. She went to him and touched his forehead. “You were doing fine yesterday.”

“Fine has variable definitions, mother. But I am not fine. Can you go to the store.”

“The store? For what?”

“Um…we want soup.”

Amanda looked at him. “There’s soup in the kitchen.”

Jim shook his head. “Its all gone. And we also don’t have any bread for sandwiches. Or juice. My mom’s been kind of lax with groceries. Single mom and all that.”

“I see.” Amanda went into the kitchen and looked around.

Jim bit his lip. He had quickly hidden most of their food while his mom was in the shower. Luckily, she hadn’t gone to check for anything before she left.

“The cabinets are bare.”

“Like I said, single mom. Working mom. Sometimes she forgets. But not so much that we’re starving.”

Amanda checked the fridge. “I guess I could run to the store before the storm comes in.”

“That would be awesome.”

“Or I could just go back home and bring some stuff over.”

“No!”

Amanda jumped at Jim’s reaction. She furrowed her brows together. “Jim?”

“No,” Jim said quieter. “I…I have a lot of allergies, you know. Not that what you’d have at your house would get me sick or anything. But…we could use some of our stuff. We don’t want to take your stuff. My mom left some money.” Jim took out fifty dollars he’d ‘borrowed’ from his mother’s purse. “And a list.” Jim picked that up from the counter. “She would’ve asked you herself but she was in such a hurry, you know. Single…working…mom.”

_Please please please, believe this._

Amanda walked over and looked at the money and the list. Jim had had Spock write it so it was neat. He smiled and tried to look as innocent as possible.

“Oh, alright,” Amanda finally said. She took the money and the list. “The store is just down…”

“We like the store in Cedar Rapids.”

“Cedar Rapids?”

Jim nodded. “It’s only a thirty-minute drive. They have these gluten free things mom likes.” Jim smiled. “You’ll be back in no time.”

“Cedar Rapids,” she said again.

“Please?”

Amanda sighed. “Yes, yes. No problem. I will be back in one hour.”

“Thank you.”

When Amanda left, Jim and Spock went back to work, finishing up their plans for the house.

* * *

Jim and Spock sat in the attic, watching the security feed they had rigged around the house. In the back yard, one burglar, they had nicknamed Bob, was currently convulsing due to the electricity running to the metal lawn chair he’d sat in. On another feed, they watched his counterpart at the front door, Fred, being electrocuted after trying to cut the electric fencing they’d put up in front of the door.

“Jim?”

“Yeah, Spock.”

“Most of the traps we rigged have the potential to be lethal.”

“Nah, they’ll be fine.”

Spock shrugged. Bob and Fred stop convulsing and feel free of whatever they were touching. Bob fell off the back porch and onto the snow. The back of his white jumpsuit burned a tad.

“Ouch.”

“Indeed.”

Fred stepped back from fencing and shook himself off. His white suit was now discolored from the electrical burns. He glared at the front door then ran forward, jumping over the electric fencing and landing on the front mat. Jim giggled as the marbles underneath cause him to immediately slip and fall onto his back.

Jim and Spock ran downstairs when the Cardassian approached and pulled at the side plug for the electric fence, dismantling it.

Spock went to the back of the house while Jim went to front and peered through the window by the door.

“Have you tried the door?” Jim heard the Cardassian asked.

“Not yet.”

“See here.” Jim watched the Cardassian point out the thin string connected the front door to the barbell on the roof outside the attic window.

“Didn’t see that,” Fred said. “The kid is good.”

“Not good enough.” The Cardassian snipped the wire. Both stood back and waited but nothing happened.

Jim grinned as the Cardassian commented that he wasn’t so clever after all. The burglars stood a step closer and then. Jim heard the glass break upstairs then watched a chest of books fall down onto them from the attic.

“Ouch,” Jim said again.

The duo got up after a moment and tried walking back towards the door. Jim grinned. He turned and cut a string that was connected to the barbell all the way upstairs. He peeked back outside and waited.

“I’m sure they’re fine,” Jim said when the barbell fell on top of them. He watched them groan and pushed the barbell off of them. The woman walked up.

“You got hit with some books,” she said.

“Books, a trunk, and weights, you dumb broad,” Fred said.

“He’s a kid,” she said. “How can you get taken out by an infant.”

“We underestimated the cleverness of the boy and whoever is helping him,” the Cardassian said. “Remember there were two cars yesterday. Alice, you take the north side. Mr. Unger, the south side. Where is Mr. Jernigan?”

Jim ran to the back of the house and found Spock. “This guy is Jernigan. Fred is Unger. The girl is Alice.”

“Understood.”

They watched Mr. Jernigan flare about as water sprayed him from the fossette. He then gave up and walked away to the shed where Spock was controlling a light switch with a control in his hand. By a window on the left side fo the house, Jim heard a noise and ran over. He got into position at a trap they’d set.

The window covers were pulled open and Mr. Unger’s face appeared. Jim smiled. “Hi.”

Unger’s eyes widened on the sling shot about to be fired at him. “Don’t you…ah!”

Jim released the slingshot and fired at Unger a bag of plaster of Paris and water, hitting Unger right the face. He fell out of sight. Jim ran over to eh window and looked down. The man laid there, face white from the plaster. Jim chuckled and shut the window, pulling down the glass and locking it back in place.

He ran back into the foyer and found a long slaw blade working its away around the locks in the door. “Jeez, these guys are persistent.”

To the right side of the house, Jim heard Alice scream, no doubt having triggered the potted plants to fall from the roof onto her.

“We’re about to be breached,” Spock appeared and said, eying the door.

“Yeah, let’s head upstairs.”

“Agreed.”

They rushed up the stairs and back up to the attic just in time to watch the Cardassian open the closet door and immediately get hit in the crotch but a boxing glove ridged up to strike when the door opens.

“Ouch.” Jim nudged Spock. “How’s Mr. Jernigan?”

“He found the lawn mower in the shed.”

“Good.” Jim bit his bottom lip. “He’s not dead, right?”

“He appeared to be well,” Spock replied. “Although he is missing some hair on his head.”

“That’s not too bad.”

Spock arched a brow but said nothing.

On the cameras they watched Mr. Unger breach the living room through a window. As he stepped in, both feet ended up in rectangular tubs of goo attached to skateboards.

Outback, Alice tried going up the steps but because Jim had loosened them, she fell on her butt. When she managed to get onto the porch, she immediately fell through to the basement after stepping onto the welcome mat.

“Your mother is renting, correct?”

“Yep.”

“She is not getting her security deposit back.”

“Nope.”

They watched Jernigan take a ladder from the shed and put it against the house. He climbed up to an open window and went inside. They heard his yells as he fell through the floor to the basement.

“They were going to renovate anyway,” Jim said. “We’re just saving them some steps.”

“If you say so. Can we call the authorities now?”

“Not yet.” Jim picked up the remote and changed to the next set of video feed. They saw all the burglars were now in the basement and none looked happy.

“They all have phasers.”

Jim pulled out a phaser. “I got one too.”

“That is a toy you painted black,” Spock said.

Jim pointed it at him and fired. The toy lit up and made a ‘pew pew’ sound. Spock pushed the toy away from pointing at him.

_Ring ring ring_

Both jumped. Jim grabbed Spock’s hand.

“The phone,” Spock said.

“Oh. Its in my phone’s room. I’ll be right back.”

“I can…”

“I got it, just keep a look out.”

_Ring ring ring_

Jim stood and rushed down the stairs. He went down the hall and into his mom’s room. The phone continued to ring as he jumped onto her bed and grabbed the device up from the side table.

“Kirk residence.”

“Jim, its Amanda. Sweetie, you sound out of breath.”

“No, no, I’m fine. Are you still at the store?”

“I am leaving now. The storm is starting to come up. I just wanted to make sure you both are well.”

“We’re fine. Just playing chess.”

“Jim, they are now on the first floor,” Spock’s voice came through the walkie Jim had attached to his pants.

“Just take your time,” Jim continued saying to Amanda. “Be safe.”

“I will. You two be safe as well.”

“Jim, they are approaching the steps.”

“Gotta go, see you soon!” Jim said quickly before hanging up and running to the door. Spock was at the bottom of the attic steps across the hall. Spock waved him over then quickly ducked away and out of sight. Jim heard the creaking of the steps as people started to slowly walk up.

_I can make it. I can make it._ Jim moved forward and made it halfway before panicking and grabbing the door to the hall closet. He opened it and carefully and slowly closed the door. He locked it as he heard a voice on the other side.

“I saw the door close.” The doorknob jiggled. “I know you’re in there. Gonna pay you back for everything you’d put us through.”

Jim looked around the dimly lit closet. His heart raced as he tried to figure out what to do.

“Coming to get you,” Mr. Unger sing-songed through the door.

Jim started to climb up the shelves. He got high enough then prayed to whatever deity there was when he kicked a leg out and put it into the hamper hanging off the back of the door. He put his other leg in then lowered himself inside. He closed his eyes and sat as still as possible while the door was wrenched open.

_Please don’t find me. Please don’t find me._

“Towels,” Mr. Unger said. “Just a closet of towels.”

“Mr. Unger can we please keep moving,” Alice snapped.

“I saw this door close.”

“Just shut it and check the rooms.”

Unger shut the door and Jim heard him walk away. Jim blew out a sigh of relief then slowly climbed out of the hamper. Back on the floor, Jim slowly opened the closet door in time to watch the group charge into his brother’s room where Jim had set up the pillows to make it seem like someone was in the bed. Jim took the opportunity to run to the attic door and steps.

He shut the door just when the others saw him. Jim locked the door and bolted up the stairs where Spock was waiting. They had rigged a zipline from the back window of the attack to a tree house in Jim’s back yard.

“You go first,” Spock insisted.

“Okay.” Jim put on his heavy coat and backpack while the burglars banged and yelled down the steps. He grabbed the handlebars and said a quick prayer before jumping from the window. He laughed through the butterflies in his stomach as he sailed through the sky and into the treehouse. He let go at the last minute and landed in the pile of pillows.

He stood and waved Spock over. Spock followed, sailing down towards him. Jim stood out of the way. His best friend landed in the pillows just when the burglars appeared at the window. Spock cut the line with hedge trimmers.

“You’re not going to get us up there, you big dumb buttheads!” Jim called to him.

“Jim, teasing criminals is not logical,” Spock told him. “And we must go. I already called the authorities.”

They climbed down from the treehouse and watched two of the burglars climb out onto the roof.

“I think they’re going to jump onto the trampoline,” Jim said.

“Was that not the plan?”

“Yeah, but still. What dumbasses.”

“Language, Jim.”

Jim and Spock ran to the back gate and paused there to watch Unger and Jernigan jump. They hit the trampoline and fell right through and into the icy-watered pool underneath. Immediately the two men let out screams. 

“They’ll be fine.”

“Indeed.” Spock grabbed Jim’s hand. “C’mon.”

They ran down the side street in the snow that had greatly picked up. Through a few yards and across the street they went until Spock’s house. They locked the door and leaned against it.

“I think we lost them,” Jim said breathlessly.

“Agreed.”

“I don’t agree.”

The boys jumped.

The Cardassian appeared in the archway leading into the living room. He leaned against the doorframe and aimed a phaser at them.


	5. Data Chip

“I think we lost them,” Jim said breathlessly.

“Agreed.”

“I don’t agree.”

The boys jumped.

The Cardassian appeared in the archway leading into the living room. He leaned against the doorframe and aimed a phaser at them.

“I heard you on the phone, Jim," the head bad guy said with a smile. "Spock is a Vulcan name. Only one Vulcan family in the neighborhood. Figured you two would come here to hide out eventually.”

Jim’s eyes widened. He stepped back, away from the danger. Spock moved to stand in front of Jim. He raised his fists and got into a fighting stance.

The Cardassian laughed. “Phaser beats fists, kid. Now, both of you come in here and have a seat. I think a nice chat can settle this or…” He fired at the wall beside them. Jim jumped while Spock stood still, ready to attack. “I can kill you both and just take the data chip back from your dead bodies.”

Spock backed down but still stayed in front of Jim. Jim peaked over his shoulder and sucked in a breath. The Cardassian stepped closer. Behind the Cardassian, Amanda slowly approached with a shovel. Spock pressed Jim back against the wall.

“I suggest you stand down,” Spock said sternly.

“Or what?”

“Or my mother will hit you over the head.”

The Cardassian paused and cocked his head to the side quizzically. “Your mother?”

“Yes, his mother,” Amanda spoke.

The Cardassian quickly turned only to get a face full of shovel. The bad guy dropped to the floor, groaning but still conscious. Spock lunged at him and quickly pinched his neck. The guy's body relaxed and he was out.

Amanda put the shovel down and looked at the scene before her. Her brown eyes wide and expression one of sheer confusion. 

Jim grinned. “Told you I wasn’t lying.”

* * *

Two hours later, Jim sat under a blanket by a roaring fire in Amanda and Sarek’s house with Spock beside him. The authorities had come and rounded all the bad guys up. Followed by Starfleet officials.

Jim sipped his hot chocolate. He glanced to the kitchen were a few admirals and other higher ups were talking to their parents and the local authorities.

After a moment, a man approached and knelt down before them. “You boys were very brave today.”

“We know,” Jim said.

The man chuckled. “I’m Captain Marcus.” He held his hand out to Jim who shook it. Jim pulled his hand back quickly, though, not caring for the clamminess of the guy’s hand. His eyes darted over Jim. His eyes…Jim didn’t trust him.

“Starfleet and your parents know that a chip was stolen from us. I haven’t told your parents this,” Marcus said. “but that chip was stolen from a…well, a secret section of Starfleet in London. Highly classified military matters are on that chip.”

“Starfleet isn’t a military organization,” Spock said.

Marcus frowned briefly then nodded and went back to smiling. “Very true, but you never know what the future holds. Now, if you have the chip…” He held his hand out to Jim.

“I lost it,” Jim told him.

Spock gave him a look while Marcus’ eyes widened a fraction.

“You lost it?” Marcus asked.

Jim nodded. “Yep. Its been a long day. A lot of stuff has happened.” Jim shrugged. “Gone.”

“I see.” Marcus slowly stood. “Well, if it turns up, please contact me specifically. Is that clear?”

“Yep.”

Marcus narrowed his eyes then turned on his heel and walked back to the kitchen and joined the others.

Spock nudged Jim. “Why did you lie?”

“The guy gave me the heebie-jeebies.”

“The what?”

“Heebie-jeebies. He weirded me out, Spock. Something just isn’t right about him or the chip. I think its best no one has it.”

“I suppose. May I have some of your hot chocolate?”

Jim held his cup away from Spock. “You’re allergic.”

“Not exactly but it has been a long day.”

Jim snorted and shook his head. “No.”

“Ashayam.”

“I’m not a yam, Spock. Amanda! Spock’s calling me names!”

“Spock, be nice to Jim," Amanda playfully called back to them.

Spock sunk back into his blanket and mumbled about illogical humans.

* * *

Since their house was more or less, kind of messed up, Jim, Sam, and his mom were graciously invited to stay with Amanda and Sarek. Starfleet, since they had been hunting the burglars Jim and Spock caught, were going to cover all renovations to the rental house which made his mom and their landlord very happy.

Jim and Spock were still very much grounded…but only for a day.

On Christmas morning, before the adults woke up, Jim pulled Spock downstairs. Their Christmas tree from across the street was there and now had dozens of presents underneath. It lit up the dark living room.

They sat together by the tree alone. It was Jim’s favorite time of Christmas. Before everyone was awake, before the day began. Just sitting by the tree in the dark and quiet room with the only tight coming from the colorful bulbs strung around the tree.

“Merry Christmas, Spock.”

“Merry Christmas, Jim.” Spock took Jim’s hand in his.

“We make a great team together.”

“Affirmative,” Spock replied. “But next time, no traps.”

“Minimal traps.”

“We will not need traps when we are in Starfleet.”

“True but you never know what situations we’ll be in. Some traps.”

“If you insist.”

“As captain, of course I'll insist.”

“And as your first officer…I will go along with any and all plans of yours.”

“You’ll complain, though.”

“Naturally.”

Jim laughed and leaned against Spock’s side. Spock turned his head and kissed Jim’s cheek.

“Ew, no kissing.” Jim wiped his cheek and pushed Spock away. “Kissing is gross.”

“Boys? Are you too already awake?” Winona called from upstairs.

“Yeah! Spock made me get up.”

“Lies," Spock muttered.

“Are there presents?” Sam yelled.

“LOTS OF PRESENTS!” Jim yelled back. Jim grabbed the nearest one and because it had his name on it, he tore into it.

* * *

Jim carefully knocked on the door. He didn’t have to wait long before he heard ‘enter’ from Sarek on the other side. Jim opened the door and stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him.

Sarek sat in the little study of the house behind a desk. He raised a brow at Jim. “James, how may I help you?”

Jim approached and stood on the other side of the desk across from the older intimidating Vulcan. “Um…here.” Jim took the data chip from his pocket and handed it to Sarek.

Sarek took it and looked it over. “Is this the chip Starfleet was looking for?”

“Yeah. Um…yes, Sir.”

“Why did you not give it to them?”

“It says section 31. According to everything I searched and…maybe hacked a bit…that section doesn’t exist. But that captain guy said it was stolen from a secret section in London and none of the public records of the London branch mention section 31. He also said it had classified military information. Starfleet isn’t military.”

“Starfleet is a deep space exploratory and defense service whose principal functions include the advancement of Federation knowledge about the galaxy and its inhabitants, the advancement of Federation science and technology, the defense of the Federation, and the facilitation of Federation diplomacy.”

“Did you memorize their recruitment pamphlets?” Jim asked.

Sarek arched a brow. “Starfleet is not supposed to be entirely a military operation. Defense when necessary.” Sarek turned the data chip over in his hands. “Why are you giving this to me, James?”

Jim shrugged. “I don’t know. Vulcans are logical. You’re an ambassador. I figure its safe with you.”

“And if I turn it over to Starfleet?”

“Then that’s your decision. I’m only 10…”

“Nine.”

“Nine,” Jim corrected with a roll of his eyes. “I’m only nine. I shouldn’t be responsible for something like that. Also, its encrypted and I don’t want my personal computer targeted if it signals something at Starfleet.”

“Logical.” Sarek opened a drawer in his desk and sat the chip inside. “It is safe with me.”

Jim gave him a little salute then walked away, joining Spock back in the living room and playing with their new toys.

* * *

**_Some Years Later_ **

Jim drummed his fingers on his stomach. The biobed blanket was soft over him. Better than the stiff blankets in the hospitals of his youth. He turned his head against the pillow to look to his left.

Spock sat in a chair beside his bed, eyes focused on the PADD in his lap.

“Told you.”

One of Spock’s brows rose before his eyes lifted to Jim’s. “Pardon?”

“I told you I gotta bad vide from that Marcus guy.”

“Jim,” Spock sighed. “that was seventeen years ago.”

“And…” Jim grinned a tiny bit at seeing his mate’s jaw clench. “And, Mr. Spock.”

“You were right.”

“Can I have a kiss?”

Spock looked back to his PADD. “No, kisses are gross.”

Jim laughed. “Fair enough.” He quieted down and stared up at the ceiling. “I wonder what was on the data chip?”

* * *

**_And since I couldn't think of an ending, you all get two :)_ **

**_Ending One:_ **

_New Vulcan._

Sarek stood at attention next to T’Pau and several members of the Vulcan Counsel and High Command.

“The data chip recovered from Section 31 seventeen years previous has proven to be a valuable asset,” T’Pau spoke.

“Indeed. Jim put his trust in the right hands,” Sarek said. “He will be rewarded.”

“He will,” T’Pau agreed. She looked amongst her the counsel and high command. while Spock Prime sat in the corner shaking his head. “It is now time for the Vulcan Empire to rise.”

* * *

**_Ending Two:_ **

_London, Seventeen Years Ago_

Marcus sat in front of his boss and shook his head. “The chip is lost.”

“How unfortunate,” the boss replied. He leaned back in his chair. “Definitive proof that Santa Claus exists, and it is gone.”

“Perhaps we are not meant to know the truth,” Marcus said.

“Perhaps not. Oh, well. Now, what’s this about a dreadnaught class ship?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all folks!   
> I will have a oneshot up tomorrow and then next week I'll get back to updating Streetwalker and Mirror Mirror. 
> 
> Happy Christmas Eve!

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 2, Friday the 18th  
> Chapter 3, Sunday the 20th  
> Chapter 4, Tuesday the 22nd  
> Chapter 5, Christmas Eve (final chapter)


End file.
